Chapter 210

Chapter 210

Thus, Professor Anthony was led by Archie into the Divine Kingdom, where he followed him to the central courtyard, passing through layers of lush vegetation, and finally encountered the deity within the forest.

The moment Anthony laid eyes on Lane, he stood frozen for a long while. Eventually, it was Lane who had to break the silence. "Hello, Professor Anthony."

"…I never imagined it would actually be true."

"What do you mean?"

"Nothing, nothing." Professor Anthony looked away with a mixture of emotions, then bowed respectfully. "I just didn't expect to encounter an existence as great as yours in reality."

Lane didn't comment on his words but asked, "You mentioned having information about Ogler. How did you meet him, or rather, how did you enter the Dream World and return?"

"It was the Dream Inducing Potion," Anthony explained. "After disappearing from Michigan University, I sensed something was amiss. To be honest, most of my research findings were there, and I spent almost all my time at the university conducting research. One could say that everything in that research facility was my life's work, so..."

"When you realized something was off, you believed that Michigan University had sunk into the Dream World?"

"Yes," Anthony replied. "To be honest, I've researched the Dream World before. After this extraordinary incident, I started trying to locate Michigan University and managed to infiltrate the Dream World using the Dream Inducing Potion."

...It seemed to hold no inconsistencies.

Lane didn't entirely trust this professor who had suddenly appeared. For all he knew, the man could be a pawn sent by the malevolent deities of the Dream World. Still, it wouldn't hurt to hear him out.

"Go on. Tell me what you saw in the Dream World, what you experienced, and how you encountered Ogler."

"There... there..."

Professor Anthony swallowed almost involuntarily, his face revealing deep fear and despair. "It was a living hell."

Lane: ?

"I initially woke up outside a black city. I shouted and caused a commotion, trying to get the attention of those inside. I succeeded, but that was just the beginning of my nightmare."

"Were the inhabitants of the Dream World savage?" Lane asked curiously.

Anthony hesitated for a moment. "No, actually, most of them were quite friendly. The true hell was the world itself. It's completely different from reality. It's hard to explain, but nothing from our world applies there. Each place has its own hidden rules. If you break these rules, terrible things can happen."

"For instance, taking off your pants in our world wouldn't cause any issues. But in that world, if you stripped in public, monsters would attack you, and you might even lose your life."

Lane: ...

It seems tailored for gamers. Could you apply that rule here as well?

"Because no one dared to take their pants off there. Even when using the toilet, they had to keep them on."

Lane: In that case, forget it.

Lane suddenly became curious. "Hold on, what do you do after using the toilet?"

If they couldn't remove their pants, wouldn't changing them be impossible too?

Professor Anthony's expression froze, and he mumbled, "We... have a hole in our pants."

Lane: ...

So that was how it worked.

Lane subtly glanced at Professor Anthony's lower body. According to Archie, when the police came to arrest him, the professor was running naked down the street, waving his pants joyfully. Even the seasoned officers were momentarily stunned and almost sent him straight to a mental institution.

It seemed he'd been holding it in for too long.

Professor Anthony shifted uneasily, rubbing his legs within Lane's line of sight. Honestly, he didn't want to put on his pants either, after being confined for so long. But the young man who brought him here had warned that he would lose his chance to meet Pan if he dared to appear before the god without trousers.

"There are many more rules, which I can elaborate on later if you wish. But for now, please allow me to convey a message from my savior. If not for him, I wouldn't have returned to reality."

Lane snapped back to attention. "Go on."

"Mr. Ogier said that he has gone to seek out an Old God named Balder Hodur. If your Ark remains unsealed or if he doesn't return, then he will be Judas."

Lane's pupils constricted. He hadn't expected such crucial information from Anthony, or rather, a message that felt like a last testament.

He promptly retrieved the Ark, its seals still only two-thirds broken. One was undone by himself, while the other had unexpectedly unlocked when he ascended to the fifth floor.

The Judas they mentioned referred to a traitor, as no one knew which Old God had betrayed their faction. Lane knew nothing about the Dream World or the so-called Council of Thirteen Perfects. But now, for the first time, he had a suspicious name to investigate.

Balder Hodur.

Lane murmured the name. "The Norse god of light and darkness?"

Professor Anthony's eyes lit up. "Indeed, you're familiar with this myth?"

"It's quite well-known."

Moreover, this myth was a classic. In Norse mythology, the Light God and the Dark God were twins. The Light God was beloved, while the Dark God was blind. One day, under Loki's manipulation, he was killed by a spear made of mistletoe. This incident also triggered the events leading to the Twilight of the Gods.

Lane looked at Anthony. "I recall that you're the head of the Mythology Institute, right?"

Professor Anthony nodded unapologetically. "That's correct. When it comes to the study of myths, no one surpasses me. In the past, I might've been able to modestly claim to be among the top three in the world. But after my visit to the Dream World, I can confidently say that I'm number one, because the Dream World is the origin of all myths, and even humanity!"

"You can't possibly imagine that the myths we've been studying were originally just activities for lords and their subjects to bond. Many records aren't even accurate, yet we've continued to preserve these legends and names. It's truly incredible!"

Anthony grew more excited as he spoke. Lane interrupted him with a headache; he still had more questions. "Did Ogar only tell you these things? What else? How did he look? Was he injured?"

"Well, he only mentioned these things. He didn't seem injured on the surface," Anthony said sheepishly, closing his mouth. "He's incredibly strong, unexpectedly so. He could move freely in the contaminated area. Oh, and Ogar… Ogmir. That's how the giants in Norse mythology referred to Ymir. Although our recorded myths might not be entirely accurate, they can still serve as a reference. He must be extraordinary, perhaps even an Old God!"

Hearing that Ogar was fine, Lane temporarily set his mind at ease. However, seeing the Ark's lack of response, his frustration grew.

It seemed that Ogler was going to test Judah... Bahader. Although the replica incident had caused some trouble for Bahader, Lane didn't know the specifics of his situation.

Closing his eyes, Lane suppressed his rising unease and concern, temporarily dismissing Anthony.

Should he visit the Dream World?

The moment this thought arose, it grew like a seed in his heart, wildly expanding. He did indeed have the right to make a trip to the Dream World now. With a save point available for use once, he had a safety net even if something went wrong. Moreover, only by visiting the Dream World could his control over dreams further strengthen.

Giving himself countless reasons, Lane was well aware that his real concern was for Ogler, who had gone off to find Bahader alone.

Though they had been apart for only a short time, his thoughts clung to Ogler like vines climbing upwards. After all, Ogler was the first person he had met in this world, and they had never been separated for so long before.

There was no issue with visiting the Dream World, but if he were to search for Ogler, it would be a daunting task in such a vast place, alone...

Lost in these thoughts, Lane glanced at the player forum, where the discussion had shifted from the usefulness of Lane's affection points to how to unlock a romantic route with high affection, and whether or not Lane had a romantic storyline, leading to a debate between long-time supporters of the 'follower × deity' ship.

Lane: ...They really do have too much free time.

In that case, let's try the new map, shall we? :）